The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-19
THE HADDOCK CASE REVIVED.
Rev. James Gorton in Reply to Rev. H. E.
Warner-A Reinstatement of the Case.

Warner-A Reinstatement of the Case.
The Cedar Falls (Iowa) Gazette, in q
recent issue, printed an article from
Rev. HI. E. Warner tMethodist) on the
Haddock case, already perhaps suffi-
GENTLY ventilated in our columns. He
was followed up In good time by Rev.
James GOrton, whose article in reply
we give herewith. We would repub-
lish Mr.. Warmers article, if there was
in it any contribution to the exact facts
in the case. On the contrary, it coz
tains nothing whatever that is new on
the subject, and deals in special plead
ing, defaming Unsyersalists for the use
they have made Of Haddock's testimony
to his own remarkable change of faith.
The exact character of Mr.. Warmers
communication sufficiently evinced in
the review which follows
An article under the above title, in
the Gazette of Sept. %, from the pen of
Rev. H. E. Warner, calls for reply
For two important reasons at least, is
this reply demanded. First, because
the author appears to us to attempt to
throw dust in thu eyes of his own peo-
pie and of the gsneral community, by
assuming that thsy will take his state
ments for granted, without any proof,
and therefore he prudently refrains
from offering aIsg proof whatever for
the many incorre& Statements he makes.
He offers no prodf because he has none
to offer. Our sectad reason for answer
ing is that the statements made are a
misrepresentation and slander of the
Universalist miristry and people, here
and elsewhere. The article seems to
us to say in spirt.s"The Methodists are
strong and dominant here, the Univer-
salists are small and weak people; 1
can therefore slg slGer them with impu-
nifty and trust tqthe prejudices Of the
people to believeywhat 1 say and to JUS
tify me, withouf offering syllable of
proof" In thisswe think our brother
is mistaken. Wehave some confidence
in the fairness and justice of mankind
whenever they can see the truth. He
represents Universalist ministers as
charging Geo. q. Haddock with con-
cealing his views assout of considerations
of policy" and With being "a coward"
and then he claims to be indignant be-
cause, as he assrTts, we have indulged
in ssundesis..s pcssions. = "deroga-
tory insinuations, )" and then he charges
US with ''traducing noble character in
order that we might claim him as
comrade in opinion" And sundry other
charges are made. What proof does he
offer to sustain these charges Not
one syllable from any source whatever.
He has no proof. He can produce none.
No Universalist has ever, to our knOWl-
edge, charged Mr.. Haddock with any
of these things, but we have, on the
contrary, uniformly spoken of him as
an honest, brave and noble soul. Br.
Warner must either have got his infor-
nation second hand, or by hearsay, or
else, as is probably the case, he has
drawn very largely on his Imagination.
He might have had our manuscript
sermon on HaddOck to consult, had he
so desired. Turning it over he would
have found expressions like these {:
eve know him as a man of intellectual
power, of stalwart physical frame, of
noble personal appearance, and of a
higher order of courage in dealing with
the sins of society. These things in
the life of this strong and noble man
are fully set forth in his biography. :"
We speak of "his growing nobleness
and power" We speak of him as sin
dependent, strong, conscientious, thor
oughly and intensely religious" as a
''great, earnest, strong SOUL" We say
of him in regard to his changed relig-
ious views, and the course he would
have taken in regard to them when the
thick of the temperance battle was
over, I'VE prefer the charitable and
the honorable judgment, that he would
have been honest with himself, honest
with his fellows and honest with his
God, for this seemed to be the make of
the man." Again we speak of ''the
sincerity, courage and deep religious
earnestness of Mr.. HaddOck." :" And we
close by saying, BLESSED be the mem
Ory of this illustriOus martyr for all the
great and glorious truth, of whatever
nature, for which he lived and died. :"
This is all the slandering of Mr. Had
dock we have ever done and we do not
believe any other of our clergy has spo-
ken in less terms Of praise and honora-
BILE recommendation. How do these things
square with Br. Warmers charges ? 1
am quite sure that if he has the courage
Of true, Christian gentleman he will
withdraw these charges, and apologize
for having uttered them. We are not
bigots. We do not propose to slander
other churches. Werejoice in all their
prosperity and bid them Godspeed. We
do not believe with them. We believe
our Interpretation of Christianity is
truer and grander far than theirs, but
we are not seeking or desiring to drag